Device for sorting data



Jan. 13, 1931.

A. E. SHAFFER DEVICE FOR SORTING DATA Filed July 2b, 1929 vb l/lfw. P k P k v LLLl/lf r v ul/l 1| l hinged member l.

' Patented Jan. .13, 1931 attain W 1' ALFRED EQSIHAFRLVR, oncaianninda,lirassaonnsnrrs niivron non son'riiio namA The principal object of my invention isto provide a simple and convenient device hav ing one or more compartments or containers into which data of an accounting or other nature may be sorted, as, for example, the detachable coupons of gas, electric or telephone bills.

1 feature of my invention is a plurality of flaps spaced to form compartments and preferably I provide means for holding adjacent flaps in position to receive the proper data. Another feature is the hinging of each flap so that its free end may take a position at one side or the other of its hinge.

H Oth'erieatures will be pointed out below.

in the drawing t Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section similar to that of Figure 8 but having one of the hinged members in a diiierent position; and Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on a larger scale and described below. The support'l may be of wood or other suitable material and to one side of it is a hinged a retaining member having, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, a portion 2 at a rightangle to the support and another portion 3 extending inwardly and parallel to the support. At the other side of the support 1 is Flaps 5 of cardboard or other suitable material are" hinged or pivotedto the'su'pport 1 and as a means or hinging i show, in Figures 2 and 5, a plurality of tapes, each tape being between adjacent flaps and each having a portion-6 glued to the support, a portion 7 glued to one flap and aportion 8 glued to the adjacent flap. The portions 6 are so spaced that when the flaps are in the position shown in Figure 2 there will be substantial space between adjacent flaps so as to provide compartments to receive desired data 9 in the form of paper slips or in'other forms. The

uppermost tape is spaced from the top of the arrangement or loss "of data.

support a distance about equal to the length of the top-flap and the lowermost tape is sjiini la'rly spaced from the bottom ofthe support "so that when the end flaps are brought tofai position approximating parallelism with the support, as shown in dottedline'sfin Figures and 4,?there will be a support for them. .Tilhe deviceisto be used primarily with the support in a vertical position and it may be so hung by'a picture cord or in any other suitable way." lVlienthe support is so placed vertically the flaps are arranged with their free ends higher than'theirpivots and they tend to swingdownwardly on their hinges but this tendency is resisted byportioirS. which is to he swung into the position shown the drawing, and in this position any data inserted between adjacent flaps will be prevented from slipping out to the leftin F igurel. lldemb'erdlmay beswungto the position of Figure 3}where it will" prevent data from slipping' outto the right or'it may be swung iurther'inwardly to the position of F igure-a in which position itnot only'prevents said slipping but also has aiuncti'on of resisting the tendency of the flaps'to swing downwardly.

If desired the inner'fa-ce 10 of member l may have suitable" in'dicia relating to'jcorre spending indi'cia on the flaps'and insuclr case member 4 may be moved intofth'e plane otf'the supportl so-thatits indiciamaybe readily vi ible, 3 s

When the device is to be removed from its vertical position the. flaps maybe pressed upwardlyinto substantial parallelism Withsupport '1 as' shownindotted'linesfin Figure l, the uppermost cardfbeingsupported by the upper partoi"? the suppor-t, and iiiembers o and l win-be folded inv'Jardl g-as shown in dotted lines in Figure l, to hold the flaps pressed upwardly and" I provide a hook =11 on'ine'mber '8 to engage an eye 12 on member 4 to, lock members 3 and l in theiri'n wardly folded position. -When" so locked the device may be moved about without dis- 5 Another 'use-of my device is to; make provisionior ready tabulation oi the data ,in the several compartments and w'hen the de vice is'to "be so us'ed thesupport'will be'laid horizontally on a table or elsewhere and the members 3 and 4 will be unlocked and turned back and it is convenient now to have nearest to the user that portion of the support shown atthe top in Figure2. The

flaps may now be swung on their pivots into the position shown dotted; in Figure 2, the lowermost flap of-that figure havingavailable support in the lower part of supportcl. In

this positionthe data in the compartment which was formed 'by the-top-card and' the support will be available for tabulation and removal whereupon thetop"flap" will be swung toward the rupper part of the support leaving the data in the c'omp'art- .mentformed-'-by;-tl1etwor topmost flaps available. for, tabulation and-removal and so on. for the: other compartments- Or whenthetsupport is horizontal the lowest flap. only may lie-swung tothe dotted line position of Figure 2;leav-ing- -the.data in the compartment formedrby the-two lowest flaps available for tabulation and removal and then the flapnext to {the lowest ma'ybeswung to said; dotted? line 1 position, for tabulation and removal of the-data in thanext compartmentzandso on; I 5

A sufiicient-indexing surfaee is provided for each-flap one-above the other and, as

above explained; either the front.,.or rear face of each ifiap may be exposed. The flaps may be numbered or letteredrassdesired, said numbers or letters to; run :fromtop to bottom,

flaps with their free ends higher than their pivots, said member being located to prevent displacement at one side of the flaps of data sheets between the flaps; and another member hinged to the support and located toprevent displacement of said data sheets at'the. other side of the flaps.

3,; .A=de'viceofthe character described comprisinga support a plurality of flaps hinged to the support; members hinged to the support and ada'pted to prevent sidewise' displacement of'data sheets between the flaps; andmeans'to lock saidmembers together.

ALFRED E. 'SHAFFER.

and the samenumbers-or letters may appear on the reverse :side of theflflaps" so that when a the compartments are sufficiently fulland Figure 2, this: holding being int addition to the friction of the hinges which conneet-support 1. and; portion- 2. a

Whatlclaim is: I

1. Agdev ice of the-character described comprising a .vertical support; a plurality of flaps hinged to the support, each flap being adapted to swing fromia positionrwith its free end higher than its pivot to aposition with itsfree-i end; lower than its pivot; and'a member hinged to the support-.toshold the flaps with their free ends: higher than their pivots. v a

2. ihdGVlCQOfithjB character described com prisinga vertical support; aplurality of flaps hinged to the support, eachfiap being adapted 1 to swing from a position with: its freefendihigher than its pivot to a position with its free end lower thanits pivot; and a mem ehinggd t e1% upng st eh ldithe 

